Are you a beginner and looking for a camera? Then you are right here! ✌ I’ll show you which camera is suitable for beginners.
Which camera is best for beginners in photography?
Which beginner camera is the best and the right one for a beginner? In my purchase advice, I want to explain to you which cameras are best for beginners and beginners in photography. I recommend system and reflex cameras.
Buying your first camera to get started with photography is often not that easy, especially as a beginner. But hey, at this point every photographer was at the beginning of his career. My camera purchase advice is about focusing on the basics for beginners.
In plain language, this means that I recommend cameras for beginners in the range of $250 to a maximum of $1250 and no overpriced camera technology or any unnecessary frills.
With my camera advice, I would like to help you decide on a beginner’s camera. Here I give you recommendations for cameras in different price categories. All links to the cameras marked with an asterisk (*) in this article are so-called commission links. If you click on such a reference link and buy a product, I will receive a small commission for your purchase. Of course, the price won’t change for you.
Best cameras for beginners in 2021
What is the best camera for beginners and beginners? There is no such thing as “the one best camera” for beginners – but there are some really recommendable top cameras for beginners. I update the camera for beginners – purchase advice regularly so that all recommended camera models are up to date.
Of course, in my recommendations, I also have a look at the price-performance ratio.
So that you get a quick overview right from the start, you will find my top three recommendations of the best cameras for beginners just below.
The following entry-level cameras are best for beginners in my opinion:
Entry-level camera: Canon EOS M50 Mark II
For me, the best camera for beginners in 2021 is currently the popular DSLM Canon EOS M50 II with 24.1 megapixels which makes it especially interesting for beginners in photography. It is very simple and intuitive in operation – perfect for beginners!
The EOS M50 Mark II is a perfect mirrorless camera for beginners, as it is easy to use, has the top image quality and not only beginners enjoy taking photos with it. The M50 Mark II is therefore one of the best cameras for beginners!
Camera for beginners: Sony Alpha 6000
This system camera is also very popular with beginners. The Sony Alpha 6000 is the camera with the best price-performance ratio and 24 megapixels resolution. This camera has a very good price-performance ratio, therefore it is the best camera for beginners The Sony Alpha 6000 is one of the best entry-level cameras: It shines with very good image quality and is particularly small and handy and therefore quickly with you wherever you go.
Cheapest camera for beginners: Canon EOS 4000D
This is so far the cheapest SLR camera for beginners. The Canon EOS 4000D entry-level camera is available with a lens for less than $500 – and you can find good deals for lightly used cameras, too! With 18 megapixels, this Canon SLR camera is the cheapest entry-level camera with a kit lens. Don’t let the fact that it’s the cheapest entry-level camera on the market stop you, since it has all the important functions you need at the beginning.
Which camera do I need as a beginner?
There are hundreds of camera models on the market, some of which are very different from each other. A beginner’s camera can often cost a couple of hundred bucks, but a professional model can cost several thousand dollars.
[bctt tweet=”Does the brand of your beginner camera matter? In short: Not really.” via=”no”]
The brand of your entry-level camera is actually almost completely irrelevant, as long as the model is good and has a few basic functions.
The beginner cameras from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax, and Fuji don’t cost much. And every manufacturer has suitable cameras for beginners in their range.
Probably the biggest difference is whether a mirror is installed or not. The point where the brand of beginner camera matters is the number of interchangeable lenses available. Thanks to third-party manufacturers, there are still a lot of lenses for beginners cameras from different manufacturers.
But the fact is:
[bctt tweet="Your beginner's #camera should take pictures. And how exactly you do it, doesn't matter." via="no"]
If you’ve never photographed – and I think that’s impossible in the age of smartphones – then maybe you should borrow a camera from a friend to get started before you spend any money and end up having no fun taking photos.
If you’ve already found out that you enjoy photography and want to get started, then the next few paragraphs are certainly the most interesting for you:
My tip: Your beginner’s camera shouldn’t be the newest and most expensive SLR or mirrorless system camera. This is often money thrown out at the beginning. Anyone who starts taking photos always has to go through a learning process. Therefore, the beginner’s camera should be easy to use to get started.
After all, you don’t buy a car with 400 hp immediately after passing the driving test. But don’t buy the exaggeratedly affordable entry-level model either. As a beginner, in particular, the learning curve in photography is very steep and you quickly get to the point where you would like more.
How much money should I invest in a beginner camera?
How much money you invest in a beginner’s camera also depends on what and how often you take pictures. This is not an easy question as there is no “right” answer to it. But you should expect to spend at least $400 if you want a good entry-level camera that is better than a smartphone.
Important: stay within your budget when buying a camera, or set yourself a budget limit.
For starters, I recommend a reflex camera or a system camera with an APS-C or micro-four-thirds sensor (also known as MFT or micro 4/3), because these cameras don’t cost as much as digital cameras with one 35mm format sensor (often referred to as full format).
Cameras with an APS-C or Micro 4/3 sensor have a very good price-performance ratio, especially for the beginning – especially because the lenses are a little cheaper. And with an APS-C sensor, you can easily take photos with a blurred background.
As an interim solution, we also have bridge cameras, but beginners really quickly “outgrow” them. However, that doesn’t mean these cameras are bad. If you only take photos occasionally, you will be very happy with such a bridge camera!
I will not recommend compact cameras here, as I find that the image quality is comparable to a smartphone and therefore offers little added value to a photography beginner.
Best sensor sizes in cameras for beginners
Cameras often have sensors of different sizes that affect the photos. Basically, cameras with large sensors are significantly more expensive than small ones. By the way, most beginner cameras have a sensor in APS-C format.
What does the sensor size do? I don’t want to bore you with technical talk here, so I really only explain it very briefly for you: The larger a sensor in the camera, the easier it is to create a blurred background.
In addition, a large sensor often has more “dynamic range” (this is the maximum possible total amount of light-dark differences that a sensor can detect).
And last but not least, the photo often noises significantly more with higher ISO values on smaller sensors than with larger sensors, which is due to the fact that more megapixels are “pressed” onto a smaller sensor area.
Good camera for beginners – what to look for?
[bctt tweet="A good #camera is often a slightly older model that is particularly suitable for beginners. Period. " username="CONTENTIME1"]
There are so many good cameras! And even as a beginner with a small budget, you already get a good beginner camera that you won’t go wrong with. Sure, more expensive cameras have a lot more functions, but for a beginner, these extras are often not necessary at all.
First of all: do not be lulled by the marketing trick with the megapixels when buying a camera. A good camera is not defined by the number of megapixels. The whole megapixel craze is currently very exaggerated, as you can see with some smartphones (who needs 108 megapixels on a smartphone? 🤣)
When entering digital photography, you do not need 30 megapixels or more, as you will neither do commissioned work nor print out your pictures so large that you can stick them on the high-rise facade.
Why you should buy a used camera for beginners
My tip is to save money with lightly used cameras. You can also take really good photos with a used, older camera!
To get started, you don’t need an ultra-modern camera that totally overwhelms you with its setting options. A used and old camera? Are you serious? Yes!
The best example is provided by someone in my circle of friends who took pictures in a photo competition in 2019 with his really ancient Canon 450D and took first place. And that although other participants started the competition with modern and sometimes very expensive equipment.
This is how you should choose your beginner camera!
It is important that you hold the camera comfortably in your hand. Everyone has different hands and feels that the handling of different camera brands is good or bad. You should listen to your own feelings while doing this. After all, the camera is a tool that you will hold in your hand very often.
Where to buy a good camera for beginners
Used cameras are a dime a dozen. Always shop carefully, however. With eBay, it is best to always pay via PayPal when buying a used camera – and by that, I don’t mean the “send money to friends” function. This is the only way you are really protected in an emergency.
If eBay puts you off, you can find used cameras on Amazon. But the classic photography shop around the corner is sure to have a used beginner’s camera on offer for you.
Which camera type to start with?
So that you get a better perspective in the world of cameras, you should know that there are different types of cameras that differ. The four basic types are:
- Mirrorless cameras (system cameras)
- SLR cameras
- Bridge cameras
- Compact cameras (including smartphones)
As a professional, I mainly work with the system and single-lens reflex cameras. My single-lens reflex cameras (DSLR) are gradually being replaced by modern system cameras (DSLM). It’s not just like this for me: DSLMs are gradually replacing DSLRs and I now recommend going straight into photography with a beginner DSLM if the budget allows it.
Difference between DSLR and DSLM for a beginner
In case you’re wondering what the difference between a DSLR and a DSLM is: A DSLR has a built-in mirror that is responsible for the image you see in the viewfinder. When the shutter is released, the mirror is folded away and the light then falls on the camera’s sensor.
With a DSLM, however, there is no longer a mirror. The image that you see in the viewfinder is projected directly from the sensor onto a small display built into the viewfinder.
Important functions of your beginner camera
No matter which camera type you choose, make sure that your new beginner camera has these functions:
- It would be particularly important to have a mode for program automatic (Canon and Nikon: P)
- Aperture priority auto mode (Canon AV / Nikon A)
- Shutter priority (Canon TV / Nikon S)
- Manual mode (Canon and Nikon: M)
From my point of view, these camera modes are extremely important for learning and experiencing digital photography.
[bctt tweet=”Very good entry-level cameras are available from Canon, Sony, Nikon Panasonic, and Olympus.”]
Things you don’t need in cameras for beginners
Instead of buying a new camera every year, consider a new lens. Even if it sounds tempting: every camera series has a target group and unfortunately, even today, many beginners in photography stubbornly believe that the camera always counts. Instead, you should rather actively learn to take photos – it doesn’t matter which camera you use at first.
Because the camera is actually the last link in the chain that decides whether a photo will be good or not. Someone who photographs portraits as a hobby doesn’t need 50 megapixels, ten frames per second, and, above all, an exposure time of 1 / 8000s.
Ideally, the camera should always be based on your abilities. If you occupy yourself with photography long enough, you will surely “grow out” of the first beginner camera model after a year or two (or even faster). Only when the time comes should you seriously consider upgrading your beginner’s camera.
Before that, it makes more sense to buy a new lens in order to work even more creatively.
A word about battery handles
In my opinion, as a beginner, you don’t need a battery grip at all. The camera just becomes unnecessarily heavy and, above all, larger. Your camera’s batteries are powerful enough to last a long time. And if not, the battery can be changed in a maximum of 15 seconds 🙂 Even at weddings, I don’t use the battery grip.
Huge memory cards
[bctt tweet=”Don’t buy huge memory cards, because that’s a waste of money.” via=”no”]
Don’t buy huge memory cards, because that’s a waste of money. I shoot in RAW and use a maximum of 64 Gb cards myself, in my Canon EOS 6D I only have a 16 Gb card, which I rarely get anywhere near full. And if you’re not filming or taking photos of sports, UHS-1 SD cards are perfectly fine and only cost a third compared to UHS-II cards.
And which beginner camera do you use?
I hope I was able to help you a little, giving you an insight into the selection of a camera for beginners and beginners in photography, and my camera purchase advice for beginners was helpful for you.
I am interested in which beginner camera you have chosen or with which camera you got your start in photography. Please leave me a comment – I will definitely answer 🙂